Link to a new Song
by Vengeful Soldier
Summary: Beset by grief at the loss of his fairy companion, Link once more ventures into the lost woods to find her. However, when the Hero finally thinks his time is done, a new world and adventure are only beginning.


AN: I just want to say before I start that I've always enjoyed the Legend of Zelda series, especially the Ocarina of time. To me, that Link is the definitive hero of the series, but I also found his story incredibly tragic, especially when Navi left him. Also I think that Link is incredibly physically strong just going off of the stuff he did in game.

Link struggled off of Epona, knees trembling as his own feet finally found solid ground. His hunger had devolved into a dull ache rather than an all consuming inferno, which was just as well. It no longer felt as if his stomach was trying to claw its way out of his body which was a welcome relief. His throat was dry, parched was the word, and his lips were cracked and bloody. His tongue was fat and swollen, no longer even having the saliva to wet his lips, even though doing so would just make them bleed anew. He had given the lions share of water that he had found to Epona, but even still she was suffering much the same that Link was, just not from hunger.

Link staggered forwards a few more steps, before propping himself against a tree stump and sliding down, no longer having the strength to stand. Epona came up to Link, nudging her master with her nose, as if urging him to keep looking. To keep going, but the Hero of Time didn't have the strength anymore. Didn't have the will. Instead he reached up and gently stroked her nose, smiling even though it pulled at his lips to do so, leaving ruby red drops to forge trails from his lips.

He had given everything to defeat Ganondorf, then his hideous form of Ganon to save Hyrule and yet no one even knew what he had done. It had cost him his friends, many becoming sages to imprison Ganondorf. Friends like Saria, the only one who had believed in him growing up. Now the rest of the Kokiri believed that he was at fault for the Deku tree dying, making him an outcast in his own village.

He was out of place, existing in two different worlds even though he was grown now. Having the memories of an adult, doing the things he had done had never allowed him to truly live as a child, merely another thing he had given up in the effort to stop Ganondorf. To see people that he had bonded and grown with, greet them with cheer, and then for them to only see him as a stranger was crushing.

He had thought that being a child in the body of an adult would be awkward, strange, unbearable even, and at first it was. Yet he had adapted. He had grown, matured rapidly into more than a man, he had taken up the mantle of hero and the burden that had come with it.

Yet despite that, despite all of that, one thing pained him the most. It was the reason for his venturing into the forbidden forest. Despite the danger, despite the warnings, it was the last place that Link had seen Navi heading. He had trekked all over Hyrule looking for her, following every clue, visiting the Great Fairy even, yet he had never found her.

She was his truest friend. She had been with him right from the start of his long and winding quest. Guiding him, counseling him, and consoling him all in equal measure. No matter the danger, no matter the obstacle she had always stuck by his side.

Many a nights they had talked about things. One of the few people he truly felt comfortable talking to. He had talked to her about childish things, confided in her about childish dreams and she had listened without judgment or reproach.

Then as things had become more dire, he had spoken to her of his doubts, of his fears and she had helped to banish them more than the tri-force ever had. Venturing into the deepest dungeons the evil king could devise and fighting the fiercest beasts of beasts that he had summoned, Link had never been truly afraid, because he had never been truly alone.

Even when he had finally confronted Ganondorf and he had brought his true power to bare, Navi had stuck with him. Right till the end. Then, after the end, when his life was supposed to return to some form of normalcy, she had left him.

No explanation as to why, giving no chance for Link to try and persuade her, or even ask why, she had left him. The only living being who fully understood everything, who had shared in his trials and tribulations with him since it had all began. The one being that he truly cared for above all others, and one he had thought had cared for him the same had left him, and with her a piece of his heart. It was the one wound that had never truly healed for the Hero of Time.

His search for Navi had led him to another adventure, one in which he yet again been forced to save the world and stop the moon from crashing into Termina, but even that had only served to temporarily distract Link in his search for Navi.

Link felt darkness overtaking him. Blank nothingness that would be his escape from his despair and a part of him welcomed it, even as another part railed against it. He hoped Epona would be okay, his only regret was not being able to take the saddle and bags off of her. Perhaps on her own she would be able to find her way out of the Lost Woods?

Gathering what remained of his strength, Link looked to the top of the canopy of trees, the gentle light filtering down from above and forced himself to speak, one final time.

"...Navi," croaked out Link, strength fleeing him before he could say another word.

Why did you leave me?

With that final thought, Link felt himself slip away and drift into darkness.

Xxx

Death, if that truly was what Link was experiencing, wasn't terrible. It was like he was asleep, but somewhat aware of what was happening around him. As if he was in nothing more than a lucid dream where one had no worries and no concerns. It felt like he was floating, falling through a blank nothingness. But it also felt like he was being guided, protected, and it felt rather nice.

He drifted like that for a long time, how long, he could not say, perhaps an eternity. Then a feeling began to slowly emerge. A feeling. Link was thirsty.

He opened his eyes to find that he was no longer in the Lost Woods, or any woods for that matter. He was in a tent, one in which he could see tan desert beyond the open flap. He tried to sit up, but found himself restrained by iron manacles around his wrists. He pulled at the restraints, but he was still weak, his muscles feeling like Jelly.

It was only a matter of moments, but it was enough for Link to feel his strength leave him, and he had to lay back down, breathing deeply as he did so. Yet, strangely, he did not feel hungry. He had been starving last time he was awake, but now he felt like he had eaten only a short time ago.

Was this the afterlife? Or had he been taken from the Lost Woods when he had lacked the strength to resist? He was guessing on the latter, death wouldn't be this annoying.

Link heard voices around him, most likely the others in the camp conversing and going about their day to day business. Question being though, was why was he restrained? It wasn't for his own protection, that much was certain which left only one alternative. He was a prisoner, but whose he did not know.

Yet if he was a prisoner, he was a well treated one. He was laying on silken rugs and fine furs instead of on the ground or on a pallet of straw. The inside of the tent smelled sweetly from burning incense, and there was actual furniture inside of the tent, even if it consisted only of a table strewn with bowls and what he presumed were medical instruments.

Link's ears twitched as he heard footsteps approaching his tent accompanied by the rattling of chains and lifting his head he saw a girl with an iron collar at the entrance to his tent. In her arms she was carrying a tray with a bowl of pasty food and a pitcher of water. She had long dark hair and sun-kissed skin like that of a Gerudo. As well as the rounded ears, but without the red hair or golden eyes. She stared at Link and Link stared back at her, unsure of what to do.

With a start, the girl dropped the food, which clattered to the ground and ran off. The chains of her own manacled hands rattling as she ran.

Link was again left alone, more confused than ever. The next thing he knew though, there were a dozen men in his tent wearing light armor and carrying spears. Link was assailed by a horde of groping hands and soon he his hands were manacled the same as the girl's had been and he was being marched through the camp.

The manacles were tight and they pinched into his skin, chafing terribly with the sweat that they helped to create, which made Link have to hold his hands steady or else face constant discomfort.

The camp was more massive than link had imagined, home to thousands of people. Soldiers, realized Link, with a followers camp and bazaar that traveled with it. One that contained a great deal of slaves, moving things, performing chores, and tending to their masters which Link now realized he was one of.

In Hyrule, slavery was outlawed and had been that way for centuries. So to see it practiced so openly was more than a little shocking for the Hero of Time. The harsh crack of whips that cut through the air as sharp as any blade setting the Hero's face into a firm frown. If nothing else, he may have found a new quest to undertake after all of this.

The people were strange to Link as well. They spoke in a multitude of different languages, or what sounded like many different languages, perhaps being the same one just himself too ignorant to know the difference. All of their ears were rounded, though their features were of a multitude of races. Some were like the Gerudo, others Hylian, and others still different again. Link had never seen such a people, or knew of any kingdom that they could have come from.

Unable to speak their language or otherwise communicate, Link kept his silence as they took him towards the largest tent in the camp. It was in the center and seemed more like a circus tent with its size and array of colors, then anything else, but the banners outside clearly dictated that it contained a lord within.

Link was taken into the tent, past its silken fold and was immediately overwhelmed by the smell. It was a thick musk of perfume and scented oils. Incense burning from every available hook and sweet smelling flowers from every pot. Yet, it seemed that it was only a mask for the man, if he was a man that had managed to grow to such grotesque size.

He was fat beyond measure, his skin jaundiced yellow from poor health, no doubt related to his size. The smell though, the _smell!_ It was awful, rotten sweat and the smell of urine and night soil. There was another smell too, one of rotting fat, like this man was rotting from the inside out and was trying to hide it. His fine yellow silks and robes stained through with dark sweat and the closer that Link was taken to the man the stronger the smells became.

The guards forced Link to kneel before the man, same as they did.

A man standing next to the mountain of flesh that was a man announced him in words that Link could not understand, but he still managed to catch a name.

Yezzan zo Quaggaz.

Link kept his face neutral to avoid offending the lord as the soldiers brought him up to the man. His fat laden face split into a smile at the sight of link and with a creak of the cushion laden palanquin that he sat upon the man sat up and one of his fleshy paws reached out towards Link.

Link managed to keep his expression neutral as the man's greasy hand groped at his pointed ears, making them twitch at the annoyance. Childlike glee split the mans face at Link's involuntary response and he laughed, a breathy sound that almost sounded like air escaping from a corpse. He clapped his hands happily and gestured for Link to be taken to a coterie of other people, that were for lack of a better word, odd.

Dwarves, bearded women, tall stick-like men with large heads, a woman who had lifted her dress to reveal she had both parts of a man and a woman, and a plethora of others. Each more odd or exotic than the last. Link got some looks as he was made to sit with a group of others, but no more than passing curiosity. The latest addition to Yezzan's collection of odd and exotic pets.

Link was sat next to a dwarf with a scar running across his face and he must have looked for too long, because he said something to Link. The tone was cordial, but he couldn't help but think that he had just been insulted.

The overpowering smell of perfume was more welcome now that Link knew what it was covering up, and it made staying in the tent bearable, even if he had no idea where he was.

The exotic group of people that link now belonged to lived it seemed to entertain Yezzan. Dancers, acrobats, jugglers, musicians, actors, everyone present had some form of skill that they showcased to the obese man. No one was calling upon Link which suited him just fine, still feeling weak and tired yet. So much so in fact that he fell asleep sitting where he was.

It wasn't intentional really, he had intended to stay awake, to try and learn as much as he could. Gleam from the comings and goings of those around him about the habits of his new 'owner' and those who served him. But it was warm in the tent and Link was still fatigued from before. Add to that the fact that they had set hit down upon a large, soft cushion and it was a recipe for a sleeping Hylian.

He awoke slowly to one of the guards shaking him. They pulled him to his feet before he was fully aware and then he was standing before Yezzan awkwardly. He looked like he was awaiting expectantly for Link to do something.

Link looked around, unsure of what he was supposed to do, and one of the retainers for the man that was most likely his owner now gestured for link to begin dancing, or else showcase some sort of talent.

Link tried to think of something he was good at outside of fighting. He could swim and dive very well, play the ocarina well, and he supposed that he was nimble and strong, but what could he do to showcase his talent?

Seeing the growing irritation on Yezzan's face, link decided to do a backflip just like when he was dodging a sword thrust. He leaped backward and landed on his hands, springing back again to land on his feet. Then leaped forwards like he intended to split a man from shoulder to groin with his blade. Each movement was blindingly fast, beyond human ability even.

He paused, seeing if they wanted him to continue the aide gestured for Link to go on and so he did. He lost himself in a world of his own, imagining himself reliving many of his past battles, moving and reacting to imagined blows and strikes. At times showcasing his awesome dexterity and strength in the process. So caught up in what he was doing Link imagined himself surrounded by enemies and with a cry let loose a small blast of Dins Fire.

Link realized what he had done and tried to pull it back, but instead only made the fire swirl around him like a vortex, dancing and twisting around him, shimmering as if it was a part of link that responded to his will, before disappearing. He stood stunned for a moment, legs trembling from exertion that they were not ready for and was surprised when Yezzan laughed merrily again with his airy corpse laugh, and clapped his fleshy hands together. Eyes alight with delight.

"Link?"

It was a quiet voice, one that he hadn't heard in years, but one that he recognized instantly and it stole his breath away, eyes going wide in shock.

Looking to the ceiling he saw her. Sitting in a small birds cage, her blue glow reduced to a dim aura as her legs danged through the bars of her cage. Wings still and drooped as if lacking the will to stay upright. She was looking at him with surprise and desperate hope, the same look that he was giving her.

"Navi," breathed Link, starting towards the cage even as several of the guards attempted to grab hold of Link and bring him back to his tent most likely. He was filled with desperate strength now though. The one he had spent so much time searching for, so much time agonizing over, so much time hoping to find whole and well again was within reach. He shook off the guards like a bear does a small hunting dog, throwing them off of him.

They grabbed him from all sides, but Link fought them with reckless abandon, heedless of any blows that they levied against him.

One guard broke the shaft of his spear against Link's head making him see stars, so he grabbed him with his manacled hands and threw the guard to the other side of the tent, even as other guards struck him with the shafts of their spears and attempted to wrestle him to the ground. Yet the Hero of Time dragged them with him as he forced himself to take step after step towards Navi.

"LINK!" cried out Navi in a mixture of joy and alarm. She glowed bright blue, hiding her in a ball of light as she bounced furiously around her cage, attempting to use her own body to batter it apart, but managing instead to just shake it. She flew to the top of her prison and beat her wings furiously, straining with every muscle in her tiny body. Slowly, the cage began to lift upwards as the fairy grit her teeth and flew with all of her might. She cleared the ring atop her cage from the hook it was resting on and with a sigh of relief followed quickly by a short shriek, Navi fell cage and all to the ground below.

The cage hit the ground, jarring the fairy within, but she was quickly on her petite feet, flying as hard as she could to make the cage roll towards the Hero of Time.

He had bloodied a half-dozen guards beyond the point of being able to stand, the hands of the hero stained red from the blows that they had landed. Though not quite as good a boxer as a swordsman, Link was nonetheless a proficient pugilist, even in his weakened state.

One of the guards finally struck Link in the back of a head with a heavy club, making his vision flash bright white, before he fell to the ground as spots danced across his vision.

Navi was almost to him, her dented wire metal cage rolling across the ground wildly as the Fairy within propelled it with all the force she could muster. Her cage bumped into Link's outstretched hand and the Hero of Time smiled, despite the pain and darkening vision. He had found her, and she still had that worried look on her face whenever he was hurt.

Link was dimly aware of men kneeling on his back as everything faded to black, but he couldn't help but smile as Navi reached through the bars of her cage and grasped at his finger.

Xxx

Link awoke again in the same tent as before, but this time there were chains from every limb leading to stakes in the ground to hold him down, in addition to an iron collar around his throat.

"Hey, get up lazy," said a playful voice from above.

Navi was dangling her legs through the bars of her birds cage near the top of Link's tent and smiling down at him. Blue eyes peering out from under blue bangs as she wore that self-satisfied grin that she always seemed to wear when she wasn't cross with him.

"You caused quite a commotion you know, you're just lucky that you're one of Yezzan zo Quaggaz's favorites now. Well, in addition to me. Still, I did have to sweet talk him after that stunt that you pulled in his tent. Tell him all sorts of stories to make him forgive you _and_ get me put in your tent with you. You're always the hero huh? Rushing in headfirst without thinking things through, heedless of the consequences or danger. Needing to rescue the girl and save the day no matter who you have to fight. You haven't changed at all."

The smile slipped then from the fairy and the glow around her brightened again, this time as if hide her face from the Hero of Time instead of just returning to her natural state.

"I missed you," said Navi after a pause. "How long...how long have you been looking for me?"

"I never stopped," was all Link said.

AN: Well this is shorter than I usually make my chapters, but I just wanted to see if there was any interest in this kind of story or not. I always wanted Link to find Navi again and I don't know about anyone else, but I'm almost positive that the link in Breath of the Wild is the same one as from Ocarina of Time since it was a resurrection pool this time instead of just a random young kid.


End file.
